


Only Open at Midnight

by the_rck



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Dream Communication, Gen, Photos of tarot reading in chapt 2, Prophetic Dreams, Story only in chapt 1, Tarot, Wibbley-Wobbley Timey Wimey, tarot reading
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:47:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26280619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_rck/pseuds/the_rck
Summary: Buffy has never been sure what to make of Illyria. She's glad that they won't intersect, physically, very often, but they meet-- have always met-- in Slayer dreams more frequently."I'm not even in your universe yet," Illyria says, riffling through a deck of cards. She frowns at what she sees. "Not when you are, that is. You've only just met Angel."Buffy frowns. She remembers years of knowing Angel.
Relationships: Illyria & Buffy Summers
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5
Collections: Fic In A Box





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nowrunalong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nowrunalong/gifts).



> I used the Hanson-Roberts deck when I did the reading (and I didn't fiddle with the cards at all. This is what came out). The Hanson-Roberts is very much in the Rider-Waite style as far as imagery/symbols. The deck has the great advantage of having cards the size of normal playing cards and, because of that, is much easier (IMO) to shuffle than most tarot decks are.
> 
> The Hanson-Roberts deck uses 'Rods' as a suit name instead of 'Wands,' but I thought Illyria more likely to call them Wands.
> 
> I used a reflected Celtic cross layout with some tweaks to what a few of the positions in the layout mean. Mostly, I don't care for having the columns topped by a definite outcome; I prefer the idea of that space focusing on something that's important but that doesn't fit elsewhere, an x-factor, if you will.
> 
> The title is from Kay Ryan's "Closely Watched Things."

Buffy has never been sure what to make of Illyria. She's glad that they won't intersect, physically, very often, but they meet-- have always met-- in Slayer dreams more frequently.

"I'm not even in your universe yet," Illyria says, riffling through a deck of cards. She frowns at what she sees. "Not when you are, that is. You've only just met Angel."

Buffy frowns. She remembers years of knowing Angel. She looks down at the table between them. It's a laminated restaurant table with a white top and plastic wrapping the edge. The color of the plastic wrapping flickers through a rainbow, now solidly one thing, then definitely another.

"Our conversations aren't in sequence because your universe is broken," Illyria reminds Buffy, "and you won't remember the specifics." She shakes her head. "We could make it easier..." She doesn't look like she expects Buffy to agree.

"Time's only broken on your side," Buffy says without even considering the suggestion seriously. "I'm happy to be human. Human-ish." She lets a little of her hostility show. "Most of the people I like are human. Ish."

Illyria sets a card down on the table then rotates it so that it's upright relative to Buffy. She taps it with one long, blue and silver fingernail. "You'll grow into it. If you live."

The card shows a woman with her arms around a lion. The word 'Strength' crosses the bottom of it.

"You haven't done tarot before," Buffy says. "At least..." She tries to remember.

"One time only. You need the symbolism if you're going to remember anything at all." Illyria fixes flat eyes on Buffy's face. "They're your symbols. Limited but possibly memorable."

Buffy smiles and lets her teeth show. "Human-ish." She doesn't let her expression change even when the air crackles with Illyria's irritation.

The Slayer can't be compelled by a creature like Illyria. That's the point of the Slayer.

Buffy is very careful about her choices in dreams like this. She remembers her fairy tales-- Be polite. Offer no promises. Accept no gifts.

A vampire needs an invitation to come into a person's home. Illyria needs-- 

Buffy's not quite sure what Illyria needs to get her claws into Buffy's soul. Buffy's also not sure what Illyria would do with Buffy's soul.

They're not quite allies, but they're not enemies, not at any point that Buffy currently recalls.

As she always does, Illyria says, "Pay attention. I need you to survive. Long enough, anyway."

Buffy doesn't dislike Illyria enough to die to spite her, so she focuses. "I'll remember."

"You won't," Illyria says. "I wouldn't have come back so many times if it was easy. You'll remember shards enough to shred yourself on."

"Fun," Buffy doesn't bother keeping the sarcasm out of her voice. She's not sure if Illyria doesn't notice or if Illyria doesn't care. Either is possible.

"You're useless if you bleed out." Illyria starts laying out cards. "The Tower covers you."

Buffy would swear that Illyria's voice has changed, that the ancient god now sounds like Ms Calendar. She shakes her head to rattle that notion loose. She knows that the form Illyria wears was never Jenny Calendar.

Someone else who Buffy mourns-- a little. She doesn't think she knew them well, possibly only as a name mentioned-- provided the body.

"Was she a Slayer?" Buffy asks because she really doesn't like the look of the Tower.

Illyria doesn't respond, only lays out more cards. "The Fool crosses you. The Wheel of Fortune reversed is your foundation. Your immediate past is the Seven of Pentacles. The Four of Wands reversed is above you, limiting your options, and your immediate future is the Sun reversed." She pauses and studies the cross she's made. "I don't think there's anything in that that you don't already know."

Buffy considers the cards and wonders if she's supposed to know what they mean or if Illyria will explain.

Illyria lays out a column of four cards to the right of the cross. After she sets down the fourth, she looks up and meets Buffy's eyes. "These matter more." Then she lays out another column of four to the left of the cross. She taps the second column. "These reflect those." She taps the first. "Because truths aren't simple and the future isn't set. For each pair, one is what you know as truth and the other is what--" She waves a hand to indicate all of the multiverse that isn't Buffy. "Well, it's what some other people know. Or what they-- and you-- ought to know."

Buffy doesn't bother hiding her belief that this is _not_ useful, but she's learned that Illyria will only allow so much defiance, so Buffy remains seated and studies the cards. Maybe, if she looks long enough, she'll remember some of the cards later.

She's pretty sure that Giles would know what these cards mean. If he doesn't, he's got to have the books for looking things up. If Buffy can remember enough.

If.

"Can I at least have pancakes?" Buffy asks. "Or a milkshake?" She thinks the cards might look less-- less something if she drips syrup on them or spills a drink or-- "It's not like you'll have to take things home sticky. Because of the not-real thing."

Illyria doesn't answer for several seconds. "If you can make such things from dream-stuff, certainly." 

As reminders of relative power go, it's not even in the same zip code as subtle.

Illyria gives Buffy almost a minute to try for pancakes then says, "The Tower covers you. It's the situation all around you."

"So, explosions and death and lots of screaming. All about the bad." Buffy's fairly sure that there's something important about the death part, but it's not a thing she wants, so she pretends it's not there.

"Not necessarily," Illyria says. "It's change. Violent. Destructive. Devastating. Necessary." The corners of her mouth twitch slightly. "Very like the Slayer."

Buffy eyes the Tower with increased wariness.

"One of the major arcana, so you have no choice about it."

"Very like the Slayer." Buffy does her best to imitate Illyria's vocal cadence while giving the words a bitter twist. If she's right, there are eight major arcana out of fourteen cards. Nine out of fifteen if she counts the card Illyria said was Buffy.

That's a lot. Buffy's not really surprised, but she wishes she had choices.

"Crossed by the Fool," Illyria says. "Starting the endeavor with optimism but in ignorance. You're called for a long journey with dangers on all sides. Especially wherever you don't think to look." She taps the card underneath the two crossed cards. "Your foundation--"

"Bad luck," Buffy interrupts because even she can see that much.

"Also lack of choices and powers standing in opposition."

Buffy almost thinks she hears a capital P in 'powers,' but she doesn't ask.

If Illyria wanted to tell Buffy anything straight out, she would. Illyria has never liked Buffy enough to soften any blow, verbal, emotional, or physical.

"Your immediate past--" Illyria's attention moves to the card labeled as the Seven of Pentacles. "Re-evaluation of your skills, more information about which are actually valuable." Illyria hesitates then adds, "Your most important skills are yours; they don't come from the Slayer." In a gesture that's almost gentle, she touches the card.

"Above you, limiting your growth and your options, is the Four of Wands reversed. Overwork. Exhaustion. Impatience with the weaknesses of others. This could change," Illyria says, "but it's the usual death of Slayers."

Buffy knows that. She thinks she's known it since the first time she heard the whole thing about the only girl in the world. She nods to indicate that she's heard.

"Your immediate future--" Illyria gestures at an upside down card with a naked child sitting on a horse. "The Sun reversed. Clinging to what you can, facing risks, struggling to survive. I told you there were no surprises in the central cross."

Buffy's not sure if Illyria leans forward or if Illyria's arms, hands, and fingers stretch. Buffy supposes that it doesn't matter. Like the pancakes Buffy still wants, Illyria's body is only as real as one of them has the will to make it.

Illyria touches the bottom cards in the two columns. "These are both you. Two faces. Two truths. Both real enough to harm. The Hanged Man reversed and the Devil reversed."

The Devil is unmistakable, so Buffy concludes that the card at the bottom of the column on the left is the Hanged Man.

"He looks... weirdly cheerful," Buffy says because she's not going near any version of the Devil without knowing how to kill it permanently.

"The Hanged Man reversed makes an interesting pair with the Devil reversed," Illyria says. "Reversed, the Hanged Man represents frustration, lack of progress, and an inability to pause for reflection."

Yeah, Buffy's 100% sure that Illyria's judging her on that one. Buffy chooses to pretend she didn't notice.

"The Devil reversed," Illyria goes on, "is about seeing what has you enslaved and wanting it ended. The violence is a trap, holding you where you can be controlled."

This time, Buffy pretends she didn't wince. 

"The next pair," Illyria says, "are the people around you." She taps the card above the Hanged Man. "The Hermit is wisdom, expert teaching, and sage counsel."

Buffy feels the static of Illyria's anger and knows that, if Buffy moves, the entire jolt will pass through her body.

"Above the Devil is the Eight of Pentacles. Apprenticeship. Everyone is still learning; everybody has to." Illyria flattens one hand on the table next to the card. "You can teach. If you can untangle the rest."

Buffy shakes her head once because that is a terrible idea to end all terrible ideas. "Sounds like a way to get people killed."

Illyria's neck bends in a way that no human neck should as she tilts her head to one side. "People die. It's part of being human. Ish."

Buffy knows. Buffy knows too well. She clears her throat. "And the third set?"

"These are hopes and fears." Illyria touches the card above the Hermit. "The Page of Wands. Verbal ability leading to negotiation and mediation. Possibly a specific person but likely not given the position." Illyria points at the corresponding card in the other column. "The Seven of Wands, well--" She waves that hand. "The single fighter besieged. Having the high ground helps, but they're going to keep coming. A temporary advantage. Exploit it, but don't linger."

That sounds a lot like Buffy's nightmares. Her throat feels tight and dry. The Slayer protects the world. Who protects the Slayer?

"The final cards are factors you need to consider but that aren't--" Illyria frowns. "Well, usually, I'd say that they're things not explicitly in the rest of the spread, but--" Illyria hesitates. "Above the Page of Wands, we have the Emperor reversed. Fanaticism. Rigidity. Danger and threat of danger from those with authority to judge." Illyria leans back from the table. "Try very, very hard to remember that one. It'll be obvious in retrospect, and seeing it coming might help." She waves at the final card. "The King of Cups is a father figure, caring, supportive, and wise both spiritually and magically."

Buffy's sure she knows who that is.

"Interesting, for a Slayer, to have no Swords at all." Illyria doesn't actually sound like she thinks it's interesting, so Buffy assumes it's a hint of some sort. "The parts you control most aren't innately violent. Three Wands, two Pentacles, and a single Cup. Wands are about growth. Pentacles are about tangible skills and assets. Cups are the soul and magic to balance Pentacles." Illyria studies the cards for several minutes without saying more.

Buffy would really like to get some actual sleep tonight. Tomorrow's going to be hard because tomorrow's always hard. She raises a hand and waves it to get Illyria's attention. "We done?"

"Almost certainly not," Illyria replies as the cards and the table start to disintegrate in front of them.  
_________

When Buffy woke the next day, she made pancakes. She didn't remember why she wanted them, but some cravings were meant to be satisfied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 is the photos I took of the reading. It's not essential to understanding the story and is image heavy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here're the pictures I took of the tarot reading I did before writing this story. I used the Hanson-Roberts deck.

The Significator: Strength

Covering card: The Tower  
Crossing card: The Fool 

Below: Wheel of Fortune reversed  
Behind: Seven of Pentacles  
Above: Four of Wands reversed  
Ahead: The Sun reversed 

Column 1 

Column 2 

Self pair: 

Other people pair: 

Hopes and fears pair: 

Extra factor pair: 


End file.
